The 2017 season has closed for FC Seoul in the end. As many as 10,913 fans visited the Seoul stadium despite the cold snap to celebrate their last game at home. Matching the enthusiasm of their supporters, Seoul put in an extra effort, notching up by win b 3-2 against Jeju United. The win of the season finale allowed FC Seoul to finish the regular season with 61 win points (16 wins, 13 draws, and 9 losses).

Seoul employed a 4-3-3 formation. GK Yang Han-been joined the line-up with Lee Kyu-ro, Kim Won-kun, Kwak Tae-hwi, and Shin Kwang-hoon forming a four-back defense line. In the middle were the trio from the national team, Lee Myung-joo, Ju Se-jong, and Go Yo-han forming an inverted triangle. Yun Il-lok and Kim Han-gil were placed on each wing position, with Dejan Damjanovic at the forefront of attacks.

Commensurate with the meaning of the game, Seoul’s will for a win was clear from the start. Looking out for a chance in the early minutes, Seoul managed to launch their first shot on target in the 8th minute of the game. Kim Han-gil collected the ball from Go Yo-han before whipping in a cross towards Dejan whose header missed the goal only by a whisker. In the 15th minute, Yun Il-lok gave a pinpoint pass to Kim Han-gil in the center, but it did not lead to a shot.

Yun Il-lok continued to stir Jeju. In the 18th minute, Yun charged down the left side to lob a sharp cross, but it was blocked by a defender. It was Seoul that managed to net the opener of the game. In the 20th minute, Dejan collected a pass from Shin Kwang-hoon to give it to Lee Myung-joo, who sent the ball into the right corner on such an impossible trajectory. The scoring was meaningful as it was his last game before the start of his military service.

Having scored the opener, Seoul’s push grew even fiercer. Following the opener, Lee Myung-joo delivered a perfect pass towards Dejan, who was waiting in the center. Dejan hit the ball immediately, but it flew over the upper bar. In the 33rd minute, the hosts conceded a goal while Yun Il-lok was off the pitch for injury treatment. Yun Il-lok made it clear that he was here to win, with his head bandaged around. Seoul gradually put together themselves and sought to win back their lead.

In the 35th minute, Dejen collected a cross from Go Yo-han to pass it to Kim Han-gil, but the shot flew head-on to the goalkeeper. In the 40th minute, Go Yo-han exchanged short passes with Dejan in front of the penalty box before unleashing a sharp drive from a good distance, but it flew directly towards the goalie too. Right before the end of the first half, Dejan received a pass from Yun to have a go with a turning shot, but it found its way to the goalkeeper. The first half was closed 1-1.

Seoul’s aggression continued into the latter half of the game. The first shot came up only three minutes into the game. Dejan’s powerful shot was blocked by a defender, and Yun Il-lok retrieved the ball to fire a left-footed shot, but it flew over the target again. In the 9th minute of the second half, Seoul restored their lead. Yun Il-lok passed the ball to Dejan, who was dashing down the left before sending a ground pass towards the center, and Go Yo-han slid in to find the net. It was a skill matching his upward momentum proved in his national team performance. The tables were turned around again, however, when the hosts allowed another equalizer in the 12th minute.

In the 15th minute, Kim Han-gil volleyed a pass from Lee Myung-joo, but it flew directly to the goalkeeper again. Two minutes later, Go Yo-han tactfully let slip a pass from Yun Il-lok for Dejan, who had a go but saw his shot flying over the goal again. In the 20th minute, Dejan made another attempt to find the net but did not succeed. One minute later, Dejan collected a cross from Lee Kyu-ro in the left side to find the net with easy tap-in, presenting his team with a one-point lead.

Seoul continued to pommel the opponents after the third goal. In the 30th minute, Dejan peeled off a defender to try a left-footed shot, but it was blocked by the goalkeeper. In the 35th minute, an important chance came up for Seoul. Yun Il-lok lobbed a cross from the left side towards Kim Han-gil, who fired a shot, but it flew wide to the right side of the goalposts. Keeping the lead to the last minute of the game, Seoul concluded their last game with a win.

Now, Seoul players are gearing up for a new season as a new contender for the championship. The players will come back stronger and better to live up to the expectations of their fans who have shown enthusiastic support throughout the year. Fans will hope that FC Seoul will stand tall at the center of the stage in 2018.